By Esther Daniels

The crisis brewing in the All Progressives Congress, APC Benue State Chapter has blown following breakdown of relationship between former National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Barnabas Gemade, and Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs and leader of the party in the state, Senator George Akume.

It was learnt that the Benue APC capsized into crisis following battles over the guber ticket of the party, with Gemade particularly, daring Akume that it will not be business as usual for him.

In obvious reference to Akume who has been the leader of the party in the state since its formation, Gemade stated categorically that he will not be available to a stooge of a few individuals in the party.

He specifically warned against micro zoning of the governorship ticket, stressing further that any attempt to impose a candidate on it from a few in the party will be totally unacceptable.

The offensive by Senator Gemade has not taken many by surprise as it has long been known that he was not seeking the Benue APC Guber ticket at the benevolence of Akume who has at every election year single handedly awarded the ticket to anyone of his choice without going through the primary election process.

It would be recalled that Gemade in 1999 as Leader of PDP in Benue, single handedly installed a relatively unknown Akume as Governor of the state over better qualified aspirants to the seat, but down the years Akume has grown into the political force he now is, but the relationship between him and his erstwhile godfather soured bitterly with injuries inflicted on the father by the son which could hardly heal in the span of one lifetime.

It was, therefore, from the onset a time bomb only waiting to explode when Gemade opted to pitch tent in APC as he was clearly seen as a master in his own right not under the leadership of Akume, and his governorship ambition presented a perfect recipe for a bloody civil war in the broom wielders party in Benue at an appointed time.

Gemade has now rolled out on the offensive in a 'smash-and-grab bid for the Benue APC Guber ticket, which he is reported to be prosecuting on a number of fronts within and outside the state.

Within Benue the former two term Senator for Benue North-East (Zone 'A') is reported to have, using his network of political contacts and established structures oiled by a huge financial war chest, amassed a sizeable pool of delegates to the party's indirect primary election to hold sometime next month.

Gemade is also said to have used his depth of reach in national politics to outflank Akume by rigging together an extensive network of alliances including with the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who only recently warned against imposition of candidates on the party's gubernatorial ticket, with particular reference to Benue.

Feelers have already emerged that Akume lacks the influence within the regime and the financial muscles to contain Gemade's Guber ambition given that the later enjoys a superiority in connections within Aso Rock and boasts a financial war chest which could wipe out any Akume sponsored aspirant at the forthcoming primary election of the party.

It has been argued by many that Gemade's superiority over Akume was calibrated by the Aso Rock cabal when it refused to move the former Benue State Governor from the inconsequential Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs to a more lucrative one at the recent cabinet reshuffle, thereby leaving him politically and financially emaciated and defenceless against the blitzkrieg now launched by the wily and foxy former BCC helmsman.

APC is evil. APC is a bad product. I will keep saying this ooo.